Author's Note: I may have been under the influence of the "Nightmare on Elm Street" film series and the TV show "Ash Vs Evil Dead" while working on this. So the blood and gore can get a bit overly descriptive at times. Sorry my inner horror hound showed up at the writing party. ^^;;
[Written on and off from 6/21/17 to 9/20/17
Edited 9/3/18]
"Kowasu"
Part Six
"Sanji-kun?" He opened his eyes, turning to look in the direction of the cooing voice, comfortably lying atop a mountain of multicolored cushions. Above him was a canopy of flowing silk framing the small room, candles bathing everything in soft golden light.
Nami dangled a small bunch of grapes from her fingers, her smile seductive. She was clad in a blue sequined halter top, chest barely covered with her stomach and belly button bared. A thin scarf tied around her waist led into a chiffon lotus leaf skirt, providing tantalizing glimpses of her legs as she walked closer to Sanji.
Just behind her were Vivi who was dressed in a similar outfit in yellow, and Robin was in purple. There was so much eye candy, Sanji felt overwhelmed as the trio of women sat around him, Robin offering her lap as a pillow. He took advantage of the generous offer immediately, the scent of Robin's honeyed perfume teasing his nose.
"Cook-san has been working too hard. Don't you think so, Miss Wednesday?"
"Oh, yes," Vivi said softly, taking a grape from Nami's hand and brushing it against Sanji's lips, her eyes half-lidded. Oh, god, he had to be dead because this was absolute heaven. "Say aah," instructed Vivi, Sanji letting her push the grape into his mouth. It burst against his tongue when he bit down, the sweetness coating his taste buds. Nami leaned down towards him, her breasts dangerously close to falling out of the halter top, the gold coins along the edge of the clothing jingling briefly.
"He deserves more than fruit, girls," Nami said, meeting the eyes of Robin and Vivi who both nodded in agreement. Sanji's heart threatened to jump out of his chest as all three women kissed him at the same time, Robin on the forehead while Vivi and Nami went for his cheeks. Glad for the low lighting, Sanji felt the blood collect in his face and other lower places, the girls laughing merrily as they sat back.
Vivi grabbed Nami's arm, pulling her upright until they were both standing in front of him. Music poured out from an unknown source, Vivi's hips starting to match the slow driving beat while she unwrapped the scarf around her waist. Holding it between her hands, Vivi reached out and placed it on Nami's shoulders, playfully pulling Nami forward until their bodies were milliliters apart. Vivi shifted the scarf up to Nami's neck, moving the navigator's head close enough that they could have been kissing if they just closed the small distance between them.
Entranced, Sanji jumped when arms sprouted from the cushions around him.
"Don't forget about me, Cook-san." One hand caressed his hair while the others meticulously touched him on nearly every section of his body except for the part that was begging for attention. If it had been anyone else with the Devil Fruit ability, Sanji would have been creeped out, but Robin used the power with such poise and style, you couldn't help but admire her for it.
"No fair cheating, Robin," Nami said, breaking away from Vivi to lightly jostle Robin's shoulder, breaking her concentration, the extra limbs dissipating. "If you excite him too much, he won't have any energy for the rest of us." Sanji was dizzy with excitement and happiness, barely able to summon the brain power to form words.
"I will happily attend to all of your needs, girls," assured Sanji, basking in the beauteous smiles they flashed him in return. As far as he was concerned, this was officially the best dream ever.
"I'm not talking to you."Blinking in confusion at the gruff voice since none of the women around him had spoken, Sanji sat up, looking around for the source.
"What's the matter, Sanji-san?" Figuring it must have been his imagination, Sanji shook his head, beaming at the concerned Vivi.
"Nothing, everything is perfect."
"You have to."The room went dark, Sanji blind until his night vision kicked in, the cushions under him going hard. Uncomfortable, he stood up, a lit cigarette dangling from his fingers. Dream rules, anything went. He was limited out in the real world, but his supply was infinite within his mind. The women were gone, which was a shame especially when it was just getting good.
Taking a long drag and walking through the smoke he exhaled a moment later, Sanji found himself in familiar surroundings: the Going Merry's main deck. No reasoning needed as to why he was here, he obviously missed his home. Towards the stern, Sanji encountered a common sight, that of Zoro lying on the deck, looking grumpy like he'd just awakened. What was unusual was the man standing at Zoro's feet, the black hair and green eyes familiar.
"I don't have to do anything," Zoro said defiantly, leaning back on his elbows.
"Actually, you do." Sanji finally pegged down the man's identity and marveled at his old friend Will, appearing the same as he had the last time Sanji had seen him. He'd lost touch with Will when he had unexpectedly lost his father Jack and Will only entered Sanji's thoughts every once in a while.
As far as Sanji's was concerned, dreams were random things pulled from the brain put together to entertain people while they slept. Seeing Will again, even an imaginary version was too strange for words. Stranger still was that Will was focused entirely on Zoro, who glared up at his friend spitefully.
Sanji went to put himself between them and stumbled on his feet as he went right through Zoro and Will, as ineffectual as a ghost. Maybe that was how he saw himself in regards to Will now.
"Will?" Sanji asked, hoping at least his voice would register with the two of them, but again he couldn't seem to interact with them at all, powerless to do anything but observe the proceedings.
"Get up," Will said, holding a hand out to Zoro, who reluctantly took it. On his feet, Zoro put his white sword at his side and crossed his arms.
"Why?" Sanji realized that it was weird that Zoro didn't question who Will was, he just accepted his presence like it was a normal event.
"You know why. That's my friend you're messing with, you know."
Zoro smiled, chuckling a tad. "A friend, huh?" The implication was more than clear, though how Zoro of all people picked up on it was beyond Sanji. "I doubt friends take each other's virginity."
"Not so strange when one took yours," Will retorted smartly, Zoro lunging at him. Will easily dodged, Zoro faltering before he corrected himself.
"So you can dish it out, but you can't take it. Interesting."
"Fuck you," snarled Zoro, seeming out of sorts when he found nothing hanging from his waist. Ah, his sword was gone. Considering he always carted one around all the time like a security blanket, he looked naked without one.
"Zoro, I'm not even really here. You're arguing fruitlessly. In fact, you could say you're…" Sanji watched in fascination as Will's features rippled, smoothing until they formed the coarse lines that made up Zoro's own, his expression mocking. "Arguing with yourself."
Zoro fumed, his hands fisted at his side. Sanji was used to seeing him ultra-confident about nearly everything, and it was odd that Zoro was so off balance. "Take that off now."
"Not comfortable facing yourself?" The only difference between the two men in front of him was their clothes.
"Stop it, dammit." The doppelganger façade slipped, Will showing his usual face again. He was acting cruelly, something Sanji hadn't ever seen his friend do.
"I will when you do, Zoro. Let's get down to the crux of the situation, shall we?
"You're worried about this." As he said the last word, Will changed into a face Sanji saw in the mirror every day: himself. Zoro flinched, backing up a step, his jaw tight. Sanji shivered as the weather worsened, growing colder. His breath was foggy when he exhaled. What the hell was going on? "You're a lying manipulative piece of shit."
Will took a cigarette from his mouth, blowing smoke in Zoro's face, who coughed madly, waving a hand to clear the air. "And you don't really exist outside of the memories in Sanji's head." Will smirked, coming closer until he was face to face with Zoro.
"And yet you still see me as a threat. How sad is that?"
"Shut up. You're a coward to use his face," snarled Zoro, pressing close to Will aggressively, looking amped up for a fight. Will smoked silently for a moment, vastly amused, not bothered by Zoro's bodily threat.
"A coward, huh? Interesting you would use that word when it better applies to you, don't you think?"
A cry of pain escaped Zoro as he suddenly grabbed his right leg, slouching over. Sanji forgot he was incorporeal and cursed when he couldn't even touch Zoro's shoulder, concerned for him. Zoro ripped his pants, going pale at the sight of engorged black veins and the hard dark grey lump on the side of his knee. "You can't even tell him about that, much less all the mind games."
His breathing shaky, Zoro straightened, absolutely seething at Will. "The two aren't mutually exclusive, dammit," he said grumpily. "I don't read his mind on purpose. I would stop if I could, all right?"
Sanji felt like someone had punched him, falling back into the railing, which was oddly solid against his back. It began pouring, heavy raindrops settling on his clothes and face. Sanji could hardly feel the wetness though, hardly able to believe what he'd overheard.
"Would you? That little ability of yours sure has come in handy recently. You're awfully cozy with Sanji now." Will was changing, becoming more muscular, growing bigger and bigger until he all but towered over Zoro. His fingers shifted into long claws, Will's face adopting a more monstrous visage, his eyes black as coal. His teeth were so large and sharp, Will's mouth almost couldn't hold them all. "You're never going to tell him, are you?
"You love your little secret, Zoro," Will accused, his voice deep and booming with putrid thick smoke billowing out of his mouth and nose. He raised a claw, growling menacingly, poised to strike Zoro down. He struggled to move out of the way, his injured leg slowing him down. "You'll take it to the grave."
The sight of himself as a monster was the last straw, Sanji putting aside what he'd learned, racing forward to protect Zoro. His kick landed square in his demonic doppelganger's face, Will staggering backward, Sanji relieved to find himself effectual than useless again. Will's body shuddered as it reverted to his usual appearance until he grinned at both of them. "There's your answer."
Confused, Sanji felt like he was missing something important. He was glad it had resolved itself though, and Sanji turned to regard Zoro who was crouched on the deck, out of breath, his fingers white around his injured leg.
"I have no idea what's going on, but are you okay?" Sanji touched Zoro's hand and everything went black.
Coming awake abruptly, Sanji fought to remember all the dream's details, disappointed when most of it slipped away. Something about Will fighting with Zoro? Strange stuff. Said crewmate was radiating warmth against his side, cuddling despite disavowing any intention of doing so earlier. He was also snoring. Loudly. It was a rumbling roar that probably sounded worse due to Zoro's close proximity. Sanji refused to move, too comfortable to resettle himself. The snoring eventually became background noise he could easily ignore.
Despite their situation, Sanji wasn't particularly worried about getting rescued. They had enough supplies that they could last a week, maybe longer if he rationed them out. In a weird way, Sanji found the desertion relaxing. There weren't five other people vying for his attention or as much food to prepare. Sanji felt like they were on a camping trip. Granted, they only had the clothes on their backs and little else, but things could have been much worse. He and Zoro could have been stuck on a lump of rock in the middle of nowhere with no available plant or animal life.
Sanji had already been done that once and he never wanted to repeat the experience. Much as Zoro grated on his nerves at times, the perks of being alone with him were already twofold. He would have never been able to take his time during sex nor sleep in the same bed as Zoro on the Going Merry. Actually learning more about him was nice as well.
With Zoro's rugged looks, Sanji had figured women were a given, but knowing that Sanji was the only man he'd ever slept with was flattering and a bit scary. The implications of being the exception to the rule were almost too much for him. Back before things had gotten so complicated between them, Sanji had always considered Zoro somewhat of an odd duck, the chances of entering a relationship with him practically nil so far as Sanji was concerned.
When Zoro had blown past such expectations, responding in kind to his advances, Sanji treated him with kid gloves, afraid of pushing Zoro too hard, too fast. The truth was Zoro was an innocent when it came to romantic relationships and over time he gradually revealed a softer side Sanji hadn't even known existed. He knew Zoro cared about his crewmates, why else would he stay on such a crazy crew, but seeing Zoro let down his barriers, all gentle and submissive towards Sanji left him at a loss for words sometimes.
Wide awake now, Sanji carefully slipped out of the bed, quietly gathering his clothes though Sanji doubted Zoro would've stirred even if a cannon blast took out one of the walls. He'd been through a lot and Sanji was content to let Zoro rest as long as he needed. He dressed in the hallway, Sanji running a hair through his hair, wishing the plumbing worked in the bathroom so he could clean up some. The sun was hardly over the horizon but provided enough light that Sanji could see most of the center's interior without difficulty.
The first order of the day was breakfast, which wasn't going to be as easy as it usually was. The mystery cans were fine, yet Sanji doubted their contents would help him much. He went into the kitchen and started going through each and every cabinet, pulling everything out onto the floor. Towards the end of his search, Sanji's eyes alighted on a tall white can. He grabbed it, checking the expiration date, finding that whatever was inside was still good. He opened it to find a damn boon, the light yellow contents making him far happier than they would in normal circumstances.
Powered eggs wouldn't have been his first choice for breakfast, but beggars couldn't be choosers. By themselves, they would be rather tasteless so Sanji definitely had to find other ingredients. Placing the can on the counter for safekeeping, he scoured the pantry, only a few small tins of herbs drawing his attention. Right, outside it was then. The sky was overcast, decidedly cool, Sanji enjoying the breeze that kicked up every few minutes.
The island was bigger than Sanji had originally thought, walking for a good thirty minutes in a straight line with no end to the forest in sight. He came to a large mountainous area, a small opening in the bottom of the rock formation catching Sanji's attention. Leaning down, he discovered it was a tunnel big enough for a body to traverse. He followed it to the end before going back the way he came. That was one need taken care of then.
Sanji was thinking they'd been lucky yesterday with their fishing when he heard a ferocious roar to his right. He ducked behind a tree, surveying the area, catching a glimpse of a furred black-tipped tail. Sanji crouched, staying as still as possible as a cougar passed the clearing he'd been traversing. Its attention was focused on something making a rustling noise through the foliage.
A large deer leaped out of a gully close by, its movements panicked. It quickly leaped away, the cougar right on its tail. Sanji followed at a distance, the deer's struggle to survive ended minutes later when the cougar struck, making quick work of it. Sanji had to admire the speed and efficiency of the wild animal, and normally he would have taken his leave, but it was too good an opportunity to pass up.
"Hey, kitty," Sanji cajoled, stepping out of the shadows of a tree, the cougar hissing loudly, baring its teeth, glancing down at the deer for a moment, looking as if it wanted to drag its kill away. Sanji kept his eyes locked with the cougar's amber gaze, refusing to back down. It crouched, its tail twitching wildly, hind feet shifting slowly. Grinning, Sanji crooked a finger, beckoning the animal. "Bring it on."
The cougar jumped, going higher than Sanji had anticipated, but he quickly adjusted for it, kicking the animal in the chest as it passed overhead, scrambling madly with its claws when it hit the ground, twisting its body around until it was on all four feet again. The animal facing him was of the female variety, Sanji having gotten a good look at the cougar's undercarriage a moment ago. "You might wanna rethink this," he advised wistfully, not wanting to end up killing the cougar.
Sanji was the interloper here, the cougar following instinct, protecting her kill. "I just want a little bit." The cougar wasn't having any of it, and Sanji stepped up his offense, running at her before she could strike again, delivering a barrage of kicks to the cougar's body, half of them not connecting because the cougar retreated halfway through his attack, recognizing the threat Sanji stood for. Keeping her body low, the cougar gradually inched out of the clearing, melting into the foliage until Sanji couldn't see it anymore. "Finally seeing sense, huh?"
He knelt down, examining the dead deer, relieved to see the cougar had only bitten into the neck, the deer's main body untouched. No chance of the innards spoiling the meat. With no fridge to speak of, Sanji could only take what he knew he would be cooking soon so he removed the deer's back legs, leaving the rest of it behind for the cougar to claim. Where there was one deer on the island, there was bound to others. They were almost as bad as rabbits in terms of breeding.
Upon cutting down the legs, he would have a few roasts and steaks to utilize in the day's meals. Not a bad haul for a few hours of foraging. Sanji would have to make Zoro do some of the work as well.
In other ways too if Sanji had his way later on tonight. They had to pass the time somehow, didn't they?
Sanji didn't know how the hell he did it, but every time he thought he had Zoro figured out, he did something that completely shattered Sanji's expectations. Once the sex component had been added to their relationship, the additional attention Zoro paid him was pleasant. He didn't do that with anyone else on the ship. The way he could anticipate things before Sanji voiced them was convenient, if downright eerie at times.
Almost like he was reading Sanji's mind. His pace faltering, Sanji stopped, a niggling sense of deja vu overcoming him. In a rush, the details of the dream he'd had earlier came back, and Sanji kept replaying a certain set of words over and over: "I don't read his mind on purpose. I would stop if I could, all right?" No. No, that was ludicrous. Even as his common sense tried to dismiss the possibility, Sanji couldn't convince himself the idea didn't hold merit.
In fact, the last few months made a lot more sense if he accepted the possibility of telepathy. From the start, Zoro had been overly focused on his needs. One kiss and they'd fallen head first into a relationship. One that worked remarkably well, all things considered. That in itself was suspicious. Their backgrounds couldn't be more different, yet somehow they got along well. Zoro had admitted outright that Sanji was his first man, which put his skills in bed into question. Was he really that good or had Zoro been sneakily getting help from Sanji unknowingly?
The longer he dwelled on the matter, the more his irritation rose until a fine rage had settled into his skin, and Sanji just wanted answers. He was surprised how much the idea of Zoro taking advantage vexed him, Sanji barely aware he was almost back to the center until he came upon the half-open door and the glimpse of a head of green hair passed through it.
The world narrowed down to a pinpoint, Sanji carefully putting down the deer meat and other goodies he'd picked up before he followed Zoro's shadow into the center.
"Cook?" The sound of the nickname tipped his anger into a fever pitch, Sanji utterly forgetting himself as he struck, his fist crashing into Zoro's face. A deep sense of satisfaction gripped him, even as his hand hurt like a bitch, Sanji gingerly moving his fingers, making sure he hadn't injured the source of his livelihood.
He hadn't hit anyone like that in years, not since he was a kid. Christ, the pain made him even more pissed off at the situation. Only Zoro could incite his anger so well, something he had proven again and again.
How long?
He'd skinned his elbow, Zoro could already feel blood begin to drip off his arm and lower cheek, right where Sanji had socked him. His ears were ringing loudly, Zoro slow to move his head because he was dizzy. He could taste blood in his mouth, but nothing hurt yet. Later Zoro knew he would feel it, right now adrenaline was doing its job. He would have reacted better if he had known the punch was coming, but sucker punched as he was, Zoro tried to stand and teetered for one dangerous moment before he found his footing.
Spitting blood to the floor, Zoro's hearing came back in snatches, his eyes rising to consider the other man in the room. Shadows obscured most of Sanji's features, the windows blocked out by bookshelves, but somehow Zoro knew Sanji was already moving again. Feeling nearly himself again, Zoro dodged a kick to the face, sidestepping until he was out the door, needing to get out of the living room. He couldn't draw his weapon in such a small space. Sanji seemed to have decided against using his hands again, likely going back to the method he knew best.
Zoro blinked just once and barely caught Sanji's foot half an inch from his face, his grip the only thing keeping Sanji steady. His vision was half obscured by Sanji's shoe, and Zoro lowered the cook's leg until it was at shoulder level, allowing him an unobstructed view. Maybe he was wrong about Sanji knowing and the cook was just really pissed off about something that happened while Zoro was sleeping, but even Zoro knew that was probably wishful thinking at work.
Jerking his leg back, Sanji looked at Zoro with pure venom in his eyes. ~ How long, Zoro? ~ Zoro drew one of his swords, and in time as well since Sanji kicked out multiple times, each strike having the force of a bullet or more. Sanji was superhumanly strong, and if Zoro hadn't been a talented swordsman, Sanji would have easily overpowered him.
It was a full on fight, and Zoro finally stopped blocking, slipping into an opening Sanji left when he jumped back on his feet. He reversed his sword, using the back of the blade, hitting Sanji on the left shoulder. Zoro was careful to keep the force behind the blow relatively low, wanting to stun more than actually cause any significant injury.
Out of breath, Zoro watched as Sanji pressed a hand to the area, still looking furious. Yeah, there was no way this was evenly remotely over. This wasn't like their normal disagreements, there was serious aggression on Sanji's part, and even hurt, he wasn't relenting. Sanji flew at Zoro and cursing when he'd only managed to block one of Sanji's legs, the other pounded into the side of Zoro's head, the one that hadn't gotten abused by a brace pulley. His ear flared painfully and he felt warmth trickle down his neck.
Pushing Sanji's other foot off his sword, Zoro lowered his weapon, sheathing it. He didn't want to seriously injure Sanji by accident despite what an asshole his crewmate was being at the moment. Sanji wasn't talking, at least not vocally, and usually, he was all about words. ~How long? ~ Zoro pressed a hand to his ear and knew he'd see red on his fingers before he confirmed it visually. Shit, Sanji really wanted to kill him.
He tried to remember if he'd done anything wrong, somehow slipping up, but couldn't pinpoint a specific event that would set Sanji off like this. He sensed movement and reacted on instinct by ducking, seeing a leg pass over his head from the corner of his eye. This was getting annoying. When Sanji launched himself off the ground with his hands, and both feet were headed straight for him, Zoro sprung up, and shoved his hands forward, clutching Sanji's shoes, wincing as part of the blow's impact vibrated down his spine.
He used Sanji's own momentum against him and propelled Sanji backward while he was still in the air, slamming him downward. Like any competent fighter, Sanji tucked his chin into his chest, and smacked the ground with the palms of his hands, minimizing any chance of injury. Despite the smart thinking, the landing had knocked the wind out of Sanji, and Zoro quickly took advantage by taking a seat on Sanji's lower body.
Zoro leaned forward and held both of Sanji's wrists in one of his hands, seeing bits of red on Sanji's knuckles, keeping them high above Sanji's head against the ground.
"Now that you've got that out of your system, will you talk to me already?"
Probing his mind gave him nothing, there was a black haze surrounding it, and nothing was leaking out. Sanji simply wasn't coherent enough to string thought together.
"Get. Off." Sanji's voice was steel, and his face was scrunched up, fury in every line.
"No," Zoro said, peering at Sanji curiously. There was no doubt Sanji wasn't thinking clearly, but behind the rage, something else was lurking. "You've used violence, how about words?" Zoro was used to reading Sanji's mind by now so being shut out felt strange as if he was surrounded by darkness with no light to pierce it.
"You're an asshole and I hate you."
"Since when is that news?" His eyebrow tickled, and Zoro found out the cause when blood dribbled down his left eye, forcing him to close it. He hadn't felt it during the fight, but the cut from the brace pulley had opened again, the bandage long gone. He had nothing on hand to starch the bleeding and blood began falling onto Sanji's chest.
Sanji's severe expression softened a bit when he finally took note of Zoro's injury, and his mouth opened slightly. Sanji closed it again, deciding against whatever he'd wanted to say. Zoro sighed, and released Sanji's hands, starting to feel tired, he'd expended a lot of energy staving off Sanji. Suppressing a yawn, his body's way of telling him he needed a nap, Zoro crossed his arms, resettling himself on Sanji, staring downward. "Well?"
~You didn't answer my question, bastard. ~ In any other situation, his position might have yielded some fun, but faced with Sanji's stubborn unresponsiveness, all Zoro felt was frustration. What little thoughts he was picking up weren't helping. "I'm not moving until you start talking."
Sanji grit his teeth, obviously impatient to strike out again. Zoro closed his other eye, blowing out a breath, trying to see a way past the stalemate. They were too obstinate for words, how had they managed this relationship without killing each other? ~Why don't you start first? ~
"Why should I? You're the one who attacked me first." Sanji laughed shortly, and Zoro was briefly distracted by his bloody eye, wiping at it with his sleeve, smearing blood across his forehead unknowingly.
~You sure about that? ~
"Definitely."
Wait, had Sanji said that last part out loud? Oh, shit. Not good, really not good. Zoro's stomach dropped out, and he looked at Sanji slowly, a feeling of dread growing. The anger had returned anew in Sanji's dark expression, his wide smile sinister, and the gleam in his eyes decidedly triumphant.
"I fucking knew it," Sanji sneered, the bitterness in his voice almost palpable.
There was no avoiding it any longer. Sanji was entirely justified in his reaction, and Zoro was in for it. Months of learning how to use his ability, and countless hours scouring the inside of Sanji's head. Zoro had used what he'd learned against Sanji, and that knowledge of being taken advantage of, was most likely what gulled Sanji the most. No wonder he'd come out swinging at Zoro, he was pissed as all hell and…hurt.
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Zoro stood up, leaving Sanji lying on the ground. He kept his face carefully schooled, but they'd spent a lot of time in each other's company, and Sanji had learned to read Zoro almost too well sometimes. His long silence had probably told Sanji all he needed.
Sanji sat up, wincing, his bruised shoulder making itself apparent. "How long, Zoro?" It was the fifth time he'd asked the question, yet the first time Sanji actually voiced the words. Zoro thought about denying it, but doing so was an insult to Sanji's intelligence. He'd been trying to keep his ability under wraps, and thought he was doing well. Apparently, he'd made one too many mistakes.
"The first time you kissed me," Zoro answered, very aware of the weight of Sanji's gaze on him. Finally having it out in the open was cathartic, the guilt he carried already lighter. His brow narrowing, Sanji got to his feet, a hand going straight for his jacket pocket. He took out a cigarette, the end flaring when flame touched it, drawing on the cigarette furiously. One down, five to go then.
"Three months? Three goddamn months." Sanji was more talking to himself than to Zoro. He didn't blame Sanji for being mad, if their roles were reversed, Zoro would feel the same exact way. Sanji started to pace, suddenly stopping to point at Zoro, anger creeping back into his body language. "This isn't some Devil Fruit thing, is it?"
Zoro shook his head firmly. Who'd intentionally eat a Devil Fruit that had the potential to drive them insane? Struggling to come up with the words he needed, Zoro turned to Sanji, reaching out to grab his hand. Sanji looked curious and let him do it, yet his irritation still kept his thoughts inaccessible.
Recalling the moment Mr. 1 had slashed Zoro mercilessly, and cut down the building behind him, Zoro grimaced. The disconnection he'd felt then from reality as all around him spoke with a hundred thousand voices had almost deafened Zoro. He knew exactly where to stand so as not to let any of the heavy stone touch him. Though barely able to stay on his feet, the blood he'd lost substantial, Zoro smiled even as he heard Mr. 1 gasp in surprise. The steel his enemy could summon into his body was whispering to him, telling Zoro exactly where to cut and how deep. It was far too easy to strike back, his aim true.
Grunting with the effort of compacting the memory, Zoro mentally shoved it towards Sanji, not sure the method would even work. As he watched, however, Sanji's eyes broadened, and his cigarette trembled against his lips. Sanji swallowed hard, visibly stunned. "What the hell was that?"
The longer Zoro had his ability, the more he discovered how truly useful it could be at times. Trying to describe it would have been impossible, but being able to actually let Sanji view the memory? Saved a lot of breath on Zoro's part. "It got worse from there. Even my own swords wouldn't shut up…," Zoro trailed off, reluctant to continue.
Everything had changed that afternoon on the Going Merry, Sanji being the root cause. How did he tell someone they were to blame for something that had progressed to the point where the shift in circumstances had been a good thing? "So that afternoon in the kitchen, when I thought you were cleverly letting me know you were attracted to me. I was completely off base, wasn't I?"
They were on the same wavelength somehow though Sanji's mind was still inaccessible. "No shit, and damned if it wasn't a surprise," Zoro explained, needing to fill the strained silence, pausing at the skeptical look Sanji was casting his way. "I didn't know the ability extended to people until your hand brushed mine back then."
"Wait, back up. It's not just people you hear?" Zoro snorted, wishing it had only been people. When everything was screaming at him, even things that didn't ordinarily have a voice, everything was so much worse.
"I learned the hard way that everything has a voice."
"As I recall, you threw some fish overboard then. Was that the reason why?" Zoro nodded, glad Sanji was curious how the ability worked, rather than focused on making guilt-tripping him about it. As a chef, Zoro expected Sanji to be interested in the topic. "What were they saying?"
Zoro opened his mouth to reply when Sanji held up a hand. "No, never mind. I'm going off topic here. How does it work with people? Is it only in the general vicinity or what?"
"I needed to touch them to hear anything, but that's changed since then." Sanji was silent, waiting for more. Zoro cleared his throat, wishing the conversation was over already. It was so awkward and tense. "When we slept together the first time, I somehow ended up creating a link between us. I could hear you so long as you were close by."
"So turn it off."
"I can't. Believe me, I've tried." Sanji had almost finished his cigarette, still pacing, noticeably stopping himself from pulling out another cigarette right away.
"How did such a link even come about?" Zoro grit his teeth, not wanting to say it, but Sanji deserved the truth. It was far too late but better than nothing.
"I pushed too hard," Zoro begrudgingly admitted.
"Why?"
"I wanted to be closer to you so I could hold my own during sex. That was all." Sanji's expression was weird, considering Zoro in silence until he blew out smoke from a drag, one corner of his mouth turned up.
"How much have you learned about me?" Zoro resisted the urge to fidget, his grip growing tight on his sword hilt. How did he begin to explain this? Zoro thought about everything he'd seen, major and minor. There was still a lot he didn't know about Sanji, privy to his thoughts or not.
"I've caught pieces of things. I know about Will and what you two got up to as teenagers. I know you heard of me before we even met, and that you thought I was a damn fool for fighting Mihawk. I know that you don't find me unattractive, though I really hate that you use the word cute to describe me."
"Stop," Sanji commanded, looking off into the distance, away from Zoro. The redness in Sanji's ears told Zoro that he was embarrassed, not looking at Zoro until he'd swallowed down his discomfort. "I get it." A few minutes passed before Sanji resumed the conversation, having regained his composure. "What else?"
Zoro had a feeling Sanji wasn't asking about himself in general, but rather the details of his past. "I don't get everything," Zoro clarified, keeping it simple. "Your thoughts are your own most of the time. I don't see any memories unless I'm concentrating on them so whatever dark secrets you have are your own.
"I try not to do it that much," Zoro said, watching a tic pulse in Sanji's forehead as his mouth turned downwards. Zoro wondered if he was going to get punched again. What'd he'd done was beyond an invasion of privacy with thoughts, memories, dreams; everything he ever wanted to know about Sanji and what he didn't readily available should he so desire it.
"You try not to?" Sanji echoed, boring a hole in Zoro's face. His cigarette had died so luckily there was no chance Sanji could toss it at him in retaliation. "You had no right to intrude on my memories, asshole." Bizarre that over everything, it was his memories being invaded that irked Sanji the most.
"I know, I'm sorry."
"And here I was thinking we were starting to get closer when…what did you say?" Shock was beginning to chase away Sanji's irritated state of mind. Zoro was beyond aggravated at the situation, and the position he'd put himself into unwittingly.
"I said I was sorry," Zoro repeated, crossing his arms.
Now. Zoro had to mention it now, otherwise, Sanji would go apeshit later on when he found out. "The one thing I don't have total control over is the dreams." Zoro braced himself for more bitching.
He didn't expect Sanji to counter calmly with, "Yours or mine?"
"Yours mostly. When you were sick, I pulled you out of one but got injured in the process. That damn bite you were obsessed over." Sanji's shoulders twitched, staring at Zoro until he laughed, making Zoro jump. That was not the reaction he expected.
"I bet that was confusing. I hardly ever remember my dreams unless they're truly bizarre."
"Like rescuing Princess Nami from Lord Arlong?" Sanji's look was sharp, his brow pinched. Zoro grinned obnoxiously at him, enjoying the thinly veiled mortification of his crewmate. "I woke up before taking on the dragons. I assume you took them down easily?" Sanji nodded despite himself, shaking his head in disbelief afterward. "Hey, I don't judge, not when I dream about metallic penguins in the desert."
"Really?" Zoro shrugged one shoulder, feeling like they were beginning to talk amicably again.
"I've learned dreams have a logic all their own." One that didn't bother to conform to reality's rules, not when imagination reigned supreme.
"So do mind readers apparently," Sanji sniped, his tone indicating he was still resentful about the matter.
"If this had happened to you with Nami, would you have told her right away?" Sanji put a hand to his chin as he thought the matter over. Zoro figured that would shut him up. If the answer was anything but no, he'd be surprised.
"I'll admit I'd experiment a little for curiosity's sake, but not for long."
"Really?" Zoro questioned, eyeing Sanji. "What if the telepathy gave you the chance to sleep with her?"
Sanji fell quiet, looking to the side before spearing Zoro with his gaze, making him feel uneasy. "Is that why you slept with me? Because you like m-" Zoro didn't remember drawing his sword, but there it was lying against Sanji's throat.
"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Zoro warned, his voice low. "I've never done anything to give you that impression." Sanji gingerly touched Wado Ichimonji, pushing the sword down. His expression bordered on patronizing.
"You've done a lot actually. What I can't tell though if any of it was you, or if you were just picking up cues from me. Rather frustrating if you must know."
As much as he wanted to blame Sanji, which would be the easy path, Zoro never trod that way if he could help it. Sanji was only part of the problem. Zoro had had the option the walk away as soon as he discovered he could read the minds of other people and he hadn't. They'd only gotten this far because he'd reciprocated Sanji's advances.
"Some of it was definitely me," Zoro assured him, pretending not to notice the quick smirk that appeared and left just as quickly on Sanji's face. "I willingly responded to you every time without your perverted mind coming into play. I know it well since I peeked there once or twice."
"Well, that's good to know," Sanji said, taking a seat on a large fallen tree near the building. "I would never want to force anyone."
"I know that, Cook," Zoro snapped, anxious to move onto another subject. Sanji shook out his hand before flexing his fingers, staring at them.
"I haven't punched anyone since I was a kid. I forgot how much it hurt." Zoro's jaw agreed with that sentiment wholeheartedly.
"So you didn't always want to be a chef," he said, mindful of Sanji's head snapping up in interest.
~I don't even know what to tell him.~ The fact he could hear the cook's thoughts again confirmed Sanji wasn't holding onto his anger. The black haze was gone.
"Whatever you're comfortable with," Zoro replied, happy he didn't have to play ignorant anymore.
"That is unsettling as hell," Sanji said, smiling nervously.
"Sorry, I can't help it. Besides, it could come in handy during battles, right?"
"True, but I can think of another area that would more useful with your ability." Zoro immediately knew what Sanji was inferring, knowing he would have to proceed carefully. This was dangerous territory and the most delicate part of the conversation. Technically, everything he'd used to seduce Sanji had come from the cook himself.
"I ventured there with the best of intentions," he said quietly, noting the tension that coiled up in Sanji's shoulders and neck. "The results spoke for themselves, didn't they?" Zoro wouldn't apologize for the mining of stores of Sanji's sexual history, not when it had helped bridge the gap that divided them. If nothing else, it made them more compatible.
Sanji let out a heavy breath, his shoulders dropping; the threat of any potential violence forgotten. "This explains so much," Sanji muttered to himself, working another cigarette in his mouth, but not lighting it. It was apparently a two cigarette problem, not one, but with his supply limited, he had to abstain from excess.
When he looked at Zoro, there was the slightest hint of amusement in his eyes. "The first time we had sex, I knew there was no way you could be that good. Taking time out to learn the ins and outs of a guy's body didn't fit your bullheaded personality," he said, scrutinizing Zoro. "I basically screwed myself, huh?"
"Hey, I played a significant role there, putting in the work. Don't insult my natural ability," Zoro shot back.
Sanji walked over to Zoro and patted him on the head. "Yes, yes, you did good. I don't have any complaints in that department," he reassured, chuckling when Zoro slapped his hand away. "Why didn't you tell me before? Why hide it for so long?"
There wasn't an easy answer. At the time, Zoro had been too surprised by the new development to consider the possibility of letting Sanji know what happened. Once he'd processed it, Zoro was too curious as to how far he could push his ability, then he'd gone too far and had no idea how to begin to explain the situation.
"I don't really know," Zoro said honestly, rubbing the back of his neck. Sanji took the cigarette out of his mouth, tucking it back into his pocket.
"I still don't forgive you for it 'cause it was a shitty thing to do, but there was one thing you didn't take into consideration."
"What's that?"
Sanji smirked, his first true one since the conversation had started. "The thing about a link is it goes both ways. I can hear you too sometimes." Zoro went still, peering at Sanji dumbfounded. "How the hell do you think I twigged onto you in the first place? I thought I was just imagining it until last night. I was looking straight at you when I heard completely different words than what came out of your mouth," explained Sanji.
"Then there was that dream of yours that clinched it. You have really fucked up ones, by the way. Don't turn my friends into demons anymore."
The color had drained out of Zoro's face as he avoided meeting Sanji's gaze. "Yeah, well, maybe stay out of my dreams then."
"Would that I could, Zoro. You're supposed to be the expert here or did you forget that?" Zoro was silent, only stirring when Sanji stood in front of him. He motioned for Zoro to stand up, which he did, suspicious of Sanji's intentions. "Zoro, I'm going to hit you."
"You already did. A lot," Zoro replied, jabbing a thumb towards his face, the blood just beginning to clot in some places.
"Once more then."
"Why?"
Sanji flashed him a nasty grin. "Karma." Setting his jaw, Zoro nodded, bracing himself. He held his breath, exhaling harshly as Sanji kicked his left shoulder in the exact spot Zoro had struck Sanji with his sword. Pain radiated down his arm in a wave, the tip of his fingers going numb.
Sanji tapped the ground with his foot and laughed shortly. "Punishment complete." Now they'd have matching bruises. If dysfunctional didn't describe them, Zoro didn't know what would.
"You get that I won't apologize for attacking you, right? I never have and never will," Sanji announced, a no-nonsense look on his face. Zoro hadn't expected him to. By all rights, he honestly expected Sanji to prolong the fight. That Zoro could essentially defuse Sanji as quickly as he did was almost a miracle. "Good, now follow me. You're a damn mess."
With two towels under his arm, which was dusty but functional, Sanji led Zoro to a jagged opening in a large rocky outcrop. The entrance was small, Zoro having to almost crouch to pass through it. They entered a tunnel, the dark interior leading to a brilliant blue pool, sunlight from an opening in the ceiling alighting the water, its crystal clear appearance inviting. "Nice, right? I found it when I was exploring earlier," Sanji said, stopping by a large rock next to the pool.
He started stripping without ceremony, Zoro following suit, Sanji taking both their clothes once they were naked. Sanji dipped them into the pool, cleaning off all the sand, dust, and blood that had soaked into the clothes after applying some force. "Go ahead and get in, I'll be right back."
Sanji disappeared down the tunnel, Zoro appreciating the view until he turned to regard the pool suspiciously. Sanji hadn't said whether or not it was warm or cold and Zoro carefully dipped a finger in to find it was cool, a nice contrast to the hot summer weather outside.
Wasting no time, Zoro dived into the pool, staying underneath the surface, the injuries on his face immediately stinging like hell. Clenching his eyes shut, Zoro ignored the pain and stayed under as long as he could. Despite the discomfort, finally getting to properly bathe felt good, the water surrounding him not containing a lick of salt. It was a natural freshwater spring, fed from somewhere in the cave system, which could have been endless for all Zoro knew.
A familiar body jumped over his head, Zoro looking up at the water's surface to see that Sanji was cannon-balling, his feet almost reaching the bottom of the pool. Zoro's breath was close to running low and he pushed upward, surfacing, Sanji grinning at him as he swam closer. "You already look better."
Sanji reached out and touched some of Zoro's injuries. His touch was feather light, which Zoro appreciated after the rough treatment. Sanji's hair was slicked back, his looped eyebrows on full display. The symmetrical balance was odd to see in a face. No wonder Sanji kept one side perpetually covered with his hair. Zoro didn't realize he was tracing one of them with his fingers until Sanji arched the one he was touching.
~You can ask, you know.~ Thrown off kilter by his body doing things on its own, Zoro lowered his hand back into the water.
"Does your whole family have those?" A shadow swept Sanji's face, its lines deepening into a frown. Zoro hadn't meant to spoil the mood, but Sanji had said he didn't mind.
"Only my siblings," answered Sanji, one corner of his mouth quirking at Zoro's reaction. Siblings? As in more than one? A whole family with spiral eyebrows, the family portraits must have been a riot.
"Stop imagining that," said Sanji, his voice light, but appearance troubled.
"Exactly how big is your family?" Sanji must have been ruminating on the subject because suddenly Zoro wasn't bathing anymore, he was crouched on the ground, feet and fists driving into his small body. The sensory input was too much, Sanji trying to shrink into himself.
"Reiju! You wanna join in?"
"Aren't you bored of that game yet?"
"Never. This loser has to be put in his place, or who knows what ideas he'll get."
Eventually, the fury of blows stopped, Ichiji and Niji laughing as they walked off. It hurt to move, Sanji all but crawling until he could stand shakily. He had made sure that his face was protected so he could still visit his mother, not wanting to cause her unwarranted stress.
There was water leaking from his eyes and Sanji sniffed loudly as he ran his arm under his nose. Fine, they could beat him until their arms and legs fell off, but they'd never break Sanji's spirit. He would take a thousand shattered bones before he ever stole the smile from his mother's face.
"Fuck me," Sanji cursed, recoiling from Zoro like he had the plague, water splashing Zoro as he moved away hurriedly. Another new development, usually Zoro took the trip down memory lane by himself. Was it because Sanji knew about the ability now? He was spooked, there was no doubt about that. Reliving a bad memory in full color, sound, and feel wasn't something Zoro would've done on purpose.
Zoro cleared his throat, uncomfortable. "I'll, uh, stop asking questions."
"No, no, it's okay. I hadn't realized the memories would be so vivid," Sanji replied, slowly closing the distance between them, some of his bravado returning. "Time's tampered a lot of those feelings, but it still hurts." Probably didn't help experiencing it anew either, must've been a slap in the face out of nowhere.
Hesitantly, Sanji put a hand on Zoro's shoulder, smiling when nothing happened. "There we go, all good." Zoro was seeing Sanji's interest, okay obsession, with women in an entirely new light. Sanji put them on a pedestal because he'd been a mama's boy, and that respect and admiration had carried over into his adult life.
Shit. Zoro felt a wave of empathy sweep through him and he dragged Sanji into a hug, his chest feeling tight. Sanji was slow to react, seeming surprised at the display of affection. He eventually grunted low in his throat and for a few precious seconds laid his head on Zoro's shoulder. ~If this is your version of an apology, I like it.~
"Don't get used to it," he informed quietly as Zoro's heart started to race a little. "Just felt like the right thing to do." Zoro went to move away, only able to go so far when Sanji stopped him, his arms taut around Zoro.
"Yeah, right," muttered Sanji just before he kissed Zoro, his eyes closed. ~Keep doing such adorable things and I really will fall for you.~
Zoro couldn't help his stiff reaction, pulling away, unnerved as Sanji opened his eyes, staring directly at him. "What? I'm human, dammit. Deal with it." Leave it to Sanji to underplay the implication of his thought. What was worse was that Zoro knew he wasn't immune to Sanji's charms either, which was scary and exciting all at once.
"I am, I really am," replied Zoro, giving into his desire as his mouth met Sanji's again.
It didn't take long for Sanji to take control of the kiss, waking up nerves that had only just recharged for Zoro. Panting, Zoro broke away, pressed up against the edge of the pool, hard rock digging into his back. "Time out," he said, glad there was a lip of rock underneath his feet so he didn't have to tread water to stay afloat. Was Sanji actually pouting at him? "If you wait until later, I'll show you something interesting."
"Spoilsport," chided Sanji, making a face before shrugging. "Okay, I'll let you be the sensible one here, but only because I'm curious what you have up your sleeve." Zoro snickered, looking forward to expanding Sanji's horizons. You ain't seen nothing yet, Cook. Sanji cocked an eyebrow, smiling before he shoved Zoro's head under the water playfully.
Rather than panic, Zoro quickly held his breath and swam along the bottom of the pool, yanking on one of Sanji's ankles, pulling him down. When they had both swam up to the surface, Sanji sputtered before splashing him in retaliation. "Oh, we're doing this, huh? Okay," Zoro said, drawing both of his hands to the side, ready to wreak havoc. "You brought this on yourself, Eyebrow."
"Bring it, Greenie."
By the time they left the pool, their mock fight over, their clothes were almost dry but finally clean. Sanji took the time to apply bandages to Zoro's head injuries before making short work of the deer meat he'd scavenged, adding some of it to the reconstituted powered eggs along with fresh herbs and mushrooms.
It was a late lunch but hit the spot, Sanji finishing his helping first. He started fiddling with another of his cigarettes, rolling it in between his fingers, showing the nervous energy of a man desperate for a smoke. "So, what's up with that injury on your leg?"
Zoro choked, pounding on his chest to get the forkful of egg down. "What?"
"Come on, Zoro, I saw how gnarly that thing was. You could barely move in your dream," Sanji informed, leaning forward to put his elbows on his knees, his full attention on Zoro. "I didn't see anything on your leg yesterday." ~I had lots of time to examine you.~
"It's never healed in my dreams," Zoro explained, putting aside his omelet to pull up his pant leg, exposing the scabbed bite wound. "A little gift from whatever maintains those realms, guess it's a bad idea to go cutting up their shit."
"You're not worried about it?" asked Sanji, looking as if he couldn't believe Zoro's blasé attitude on the subject.
"Not much I can do about it," Zoro said, shaking his head. He picked up his plate again, killing the last bit of eggs. Given the injury only bothered him when he was asleep, Zoro didn't see the point of stressing out about it while he was awake. "Outside of cutting my leg off, I don't see a cure."
Sanji tsked, scowling in Zoro's direction. "Why are you always so quick to mutilate yourself? There's got to be a better solution to the problem." Zoro started gathering the plates and silverware, Sanji silent as he went into the center and placed them atop the growing pile on the kitchen counter. There wasn't a huge amount of plates and Zoro hoped they would be off the island before lack of clean dishes became an issue.
Zoro was a bit sad Sanji had already started rationing the food supply. He was only half full and dying for a glass of grog to wash the meal down. Sanji had fashioned a bag of sorts from their raincoats, using the naturally cool water in the cave pool to store the rest of the deer meat.
"Zoro," Sanji called, sitting on the stump before the grill, the fire still soaring high. His cigarette was apparently back home inside his jacket packet unlit. "Can I ask a few more questions about the telepathy?" The way Sanji said it, it sounded like Zoro was afflicted with a curse. Not that he was wrong, but a change in delivery would've been appreciated. "Can you hear anything right now?"
"Like what?"
Sanji gestured to their surroundings. "Animal, trees…plates?" Zoro shook his head, grateful he was inquiring about relatively simple stuff.
"I can only hear you now thanks to last night."
Sanji looked at Zoro questioningly. "You mean the sex?"
"Yep." Sanji thought furiously, Zoro watching his face with amusement as Sanji puzzled it out.
"Let me see if I've got this right," Sanji started determinedly. "Sex acts as a balm for you, blocking out the world at large. I very literally hold your sanity in the palm of my hand."
Zoro nodded, "That's about the long and short of it, yeah." ~What a scary prospect.~
"Shit," announced Sanji, sighing heavily in his upraised hand, appearing uneasy and incredulous at his position of power.
"Agreed," Zoro replied, long since used to the idea. It didn't freak him out anymore, having become the norm.
"Christ, you don't do anything halfway, do you?"
"Never, it's all or nothing." It hadn't been his intention at the start, yet it was too late to change it now. It was sort of fun anyway, throwing Sanji off balance, his viewpoint of Zoro shifting, not treating Zoro like he would someone of the opposite sex, but still being somewhat soft towards Zoro. It was a subtle difference, but one Zoro still recognized and appreciated.
If Sanji had treated him like a woman from the beginning, the relationship would never have gotten off the ground. "Should've expected nothing less of you. You're lucky I like a challenge," Sanji conceded after a long moment, seeming cheerier about the topic now.
Maybe Sanji liked what he'd overheard in Zoro's thoughts. It felt weird knowing his own mind wasn't private anymore. Turnabout was fair play though. Zoro said casually, "Well, you hit the jackpot with me then."
"Don't I know it," replied Sanji lightly, grinning at him. ~And I wouldn't change it for the world.~
Zoro fed at Sanji's mouth as soon as they hit the bed, one of his hands rough on the back of the cook's neck, keeping him close. Sanji responded in kind, his breath uneven as they waged war with their tongues. His fingers kept themselves busy, pushing up Zoro's shirt, sliding a hand up Zoro's chest. Zoro started, breaking away, his eyes half-open. "Your hand is freezing," he complained, noting Sanji's quick smile.
"Isn't that why we're doing this?" Sanji shifted his hand upward, capturing one of Zoro's nipples, making him shiver when Sanji squeezed it lightly.
"That's…" Sanji rolled it between his fingers, Zoro holding his breath a second as a jolt slowly crawled down his spine. "Beside the point," he finished belatedly, pulling Sanji's arm down to his side.
"Zoro," Sanji called friskily, using his free hand to grab the top of Zoro's pants, fingers dipping below the waistline dangerously, brushing against Zoro's stomach. Blowing out a breath, Zoro clasped Sanji's free arm, keeping it captive as well.
"If you can't behave, I'll have to punish you."
Sanji's eyes lit up with interest, testing Zoro's grip briefly, managing to push himself up onto his elbows. "Oh?"
Zoro smiled deviously, pushing Sanji until he was flat on the bed, Zoro's hands keeping Sanji's hands above his head. "How are you gonna do that?" asked Sanji, the hardness against Zoro's knee confirming this was a game Sanji was interested in playing. Ducking his head, Zoro undid Sanji's zipper, letting Sanji have control of one arm back. He pulled Sanji's pants down, flicking his gaze up to catch Sanji's gaze as the material cleared his feet.
"I promised I would show you something interesting, didn't I?"
Sanji nodded, helping Zoro as he rid Sanji of his underwear. "So, put up or shut up, bastard." You're going to regret that, Zoro thought, throwing himself back into the hotel room in Bengi, recalling the feel of a hand on a cock that wasn't his own, but yet was. It had been an overwhelming experience and Zoro knew he couldn't do too much of it at the start.
He divested Sanji of his shirt and tie silently, he was laid out naked before Zoro like a damn meal. One he knew very well having had Sanji multiple times already. Sanji started to fidget underneath his gaze, the tinge in his cheeks becoming apparent. ~Would you do something already?~
"I thought I was," Zoro chided, leaning down and taking Sanji's cock into his mouth, the salty taste of precum hitting his tongue. Sanji moaned, his head turning to the side and his eyes closing. Zoro kept it slow, pushing forward to take the Sanji's member in his throat bit by bit, but trying to avoid choking himself at the same time. Last time, simply learning to hold his breath at key moments had been a game changer.
~Please keep going,~ Sanji pleaded mentally, his breath too ragged to form words.
Plan to. Heartened by the enthusiastic reaction, Zoro stopped pulling with his mouth and pushed up at Sanji with his ability instead, the cook's quiet squirming pausing as shock overtook his features. Suddenly, Zoro could feel the inside of his own mouth and it was glorious, wet and warm, and goddammit, when Zoro moved his tongue, spots exploded behind his eyelids, and Zoro was still fully clothed yet.
~Holy shit, you're- ~ "How the fuck are you-" Sanji gasped aloud when Zoro moved again, taking more of Sanji's member further into his mouth, Zoro growling at the sensation of deep-throating himself. He had to stop after a few more seconds because it was everything he remembered and more, but if he kept going, it would be over too soon. Zoro cut off the feed, pulling back altogether as Sanji panted, one of his arms draped over his eyes.
When his breathing returned to normal, Sanji kicked Zoro's side, looking indignant. "Warn me before you do that. Fuckin' hell, I could've had a heart attack."
Zoro chuckled, grabbing Sanji's leg by the ankle when he moved to kick him again. "Yeah, right. You can take it," responded Zoro, aware of the double meaning in his words as he reached over Sanji to grab the bottle of oil sitting on the nightstand.
"Still, I didn't know you could do that," Sanji admitted, automatically hooking a leg over Zoro's shoulder when Zoro neared, using a hand to pop the top of the oil bottle. "That alone makes the whole link worth it." Would Sanji be saying that a few months from now on, or would he be sick of it by then? Of Zoro? Shrugging the ominous thought off, Zoro slowly eased his fingers into Sanji, leaning down to capture Sanji's mouth again, trying to distract as best he could.
No matter how many times he did it, Zoro knew it wasn't the most comfortable experience and tried to make the stretching process short, yet still playing off Sanji's prostate whenever he could. The cook shuddered around his fingers, moaning against Zoro's mouth, the sound vibrating his lips. Anxious to continue, Zoro sat back, retrieving his hand so he could shuck his shirt and pants.
"You're going to do it again, aren't you?" Sanji asked softly, shifting on the bed so he was sitting up as Zoro removed the last of his clothing. Zoro merely raised an eyebrow in response. "Thought so, just take it easy, okay?" When was he ever out of control? Sanji snorted underneath him.
"Hey," Zoro said warningly, his hand gripping the underside of Sanji's leg. "Don't test me."
Not wanting to overload his senses and by default Sanji's, Zoro allowed only a little of his ability to trickle through, Sanji's eyes fluttering shut as Zoro pressed forward, the sharp intake of his breath enhancing Zoro's excitement. He cursed as Sanji's warmth engulfed him little by little, just barely able to feel the echo of Sanji's body in his own, the cook's arms lacing around his shoulders tightly. Sanji's fingernails dug in when Zoro could go no further, having to stop and take a breath, unnerved to feel something that wasn't truly there, and not used to being so stimulated when he was topping.
Zoro reached out and grabbed one of Sanji's hands. He shoved it to the bed and squeezed it, gauging how much pressure he could apply before Zoro could feel it himself. Yeah, he could go further. Zoro let more awareness bleed through, Sanji's shoulders starting to tremble in response. Zoro moved to let go of Sanji's hand, but Sanji held onto it, looking up at Zoro with an expression that socked him right in the chest, it was so open and trusting.
His throat was suddenly dry, Zoro unsure how to answer such a thing, choosing to lean back a bit instead. It felt utterly bizarre to feel fill, yet know in truth nothing was there, the quick shift of Zoro's hips making his eyes cross as red-hot pleasure gripped him. ~Fuck…~ The dual sensations warred with each other, Zoro struggling to not completely lose it. He managed a thrust and saw stars as Sanji writhed against him, his mind anything but clear.
Dammit, this wasn't going the way he hoped it would. His control was shit with Sanji's feelings merging with his own. Gritting his teeth, Zoro pulled back, breath hitching as his own body echoed Sanji's, the loss of hot warmth paling in comparison to what would happen when Zoro returned. "It's okay," Sanji said quietly, pressing his mouth against Zoro's neck. "I don't care how long you last, just don't cut me off. This is…goddamn phenomenal."
Zoro groaned to himself, torn between going for broke and trying to prove that longevity did matter. ~Marimo, move already.~
"You asked for it," muttered Zoro before he let himself go, fully embracing Sanji's perception along with his own, blowing the link wide open, heat searing him at the combined sensations of taking and being taken. He shifted his hips, grinding into Sanji and heard Sanji groan into his ear, Zoro panting his own pleasure at the same time.
It was almost like being electrocuted, his every nerve alert and crackling with energy. "Keep going," Sanji said, his voice low as if he couldn't muster up a full breath to project his voice. Zoro complied, beginning to thrust in earnest, starting to lose track of who was in what position, not caring in the least. Pleasure seared itself into his mind, taking hold, wiping out any thought, Zoro's body moving automatically, Sanji's ragged gasps the only thing keeping Zoro grounded, even as his sense of self slipped.
It was almost too much for him, Sanji fighting to endure it, but too engrossed to ask Zoro to stop, addicted to the feel of the slick body on top of him and his own body's reaction to it. It felt like he was sinking into a well of sensory overload, bliss alighting his every nerve. He tightened his grip on Zoro's shoulder, jerking as the swordsman renewed his attack, helpless to do anything but cry out.
~Zoro.~ Zoro jerked mentally at his name, knowing he'd gone too far, having to remind himself he wasn't Sanji despite the awareness that rode alongside his mind. Zoro's senses were ablaze, the slightest movement building up the internal pressure, Sanji clutching at his shoulders, all but hugging him.
The noises Sanji made were ragged little sounds, fingers so constricted on Zoro's body he was sure he was going to bruise later. Zoro closed his eyes, unable to tell if his heart was truly beating that fast, or if it was a combination of his and Sanji's that pounded relentlessly into his head. Fire hot desire stole any coherent thought away, keeping Zoro tight in its grip.
It was his body striking Sanji again and again, and shit, it was incredible, hot and tight, and every time he hit the right spot, Sanji spasmed around him, but he was lying on his back at the same time, almost scared of how damn good it felt, laid out helpless as waves of pleasure buffeted Sanji, tapping into Zoro's senses, knowing his voice was growing strained and never wanting it to stop.
There was no other word for it but rutting, reveling in the shared gratification on both ends, lost in the sole pursuit of hedonism. Everything they did made it worse, or better depending on the point of the view. It felt right and perfect, Zoro fighting to keep his sense of self together, faintly aware of someone yelling, then desperate clawing on his back before Sanji's orgasm threatened to sweep him under, Zoro's chin digging into Sanji's shoulder as he tried to resist. I can't, I can't, it's-
"Just go," chided Sanji, Zoro giving into his own climax, the power of it nearly enough to make him lose consciousness, Zoro hanging onto it by a thread.
He cut the connection off immediately, Zoro settling into his skin again, slow to get together enough air to speak. "That's…" Zoro's voice was raw, cracking halfway through the word. "Something."
~Goddamn, he kept this from me.~ "Yeah," Sanji replied simply, Zoro wincing as Sanji relaxed his hold on Zoro's shoulders, his fingernails tinged with red. They were both covered in sweat, Zoro the first to move away.
He felt numb and spent as if he'd gotten repeatedly electrocuted in a short period of time. Lying on his side of the bed, staring up at the ceiling, Zoro sighed. "I can't do that again," he admitted quietly.
"You can and you will, but maybe not for a while," Sanji said with a hint of laughter, sounding almost drunk. He sat up, using one of the end corners of the sheet to clean up himself up before flopping back down on the bed. "Zoro, you're not hiding anything else from me, are you?"
"No, that's it." At least so far as Zoro knew.
"Thank god, anything more and you'd probably kill me," Sanji said, yawning loudly on the last word.
"Nah, you're a tough bastard." Zoro waited for a snappy comeback but heard nothing. He looked over his shoulder and found Sanji was asleep. Knowing he had a stupid smile on his face, Zoro covered Sanji with the bedsheet and got more comfortable on the bed, readily dropping off into darkness.
Zoro coughed, turning sideways in the bed, as much as he could anyway. The antiseptic smell of the hospital room was nauseating, the staff refusing to open the window in case his particular brand of sickness was contagious. Zoro really couldn't blame them given the appearance of his leg. The last time he'd gotten a glimpse of it, the black infection was up to his hip. His limbs were tied down, the padded straps tight around his wrists and ankles.
The pain was minimal, his senses dulled under the sway of drugs. That was the one thing he wouldn't complain about his visit here.
"His chart please, Nurse." A rattle as the plastic clipboard hit metal, then, "Hmm, not such a difficult case. I can administer treatment by myself. Go to your rounds, Nurse." Her heels were loud against the floor as she left the room. The doctor sighed as he sat down beside the hospital bed, smoke drifting over Zoro's head. Wasn't smoking banned in hospitals nowadays?
"I love watching her leave," the doctor muttered to himself dreamily before clearing his throat.
"Let's get this taken care of, Marimo." Zoro turned his head and started, staring openly when Sanji leaned over and grabbed his pants.
"What the hell are you doing?" Zoro hissed, cursing his restraints as Sanji pulled his pants down to his ankles. Sanji looked at him, amusement in his eyes, his cigarette shifting as he smirked. The glasses on Sanji's nose were flattering, making him seem smarter, at least in terms of appearance.
Zoro was confused as hell now, was this his dream or Sanji's? Maybe it didn't matter. The connection seemed permanent and with it going both ways now, privacy was hard won and would likely become non-existent if things continued to progress the way there were.
"Aren't we here to play doctor?" he whispered softly into Zoro's ear. Zoro sputtered, aiming for a comeback and failing. Sanji dragged a finger down what felt like a vein. It was a distant ache thankfully. He puffed on his cigarette, peering over the upper part of Zoro's leg. The hardened globe had gotten bigger, its sheen a dark black. Sanji poked at it with the pen from his clipboard, frowning when Zoro hissed a breath out in pain. Shit, the drugs had worn off.
Sanji suddenly jerked back, his chair falling backward and hitting the floor with a loud clatter. His expression was one of disbelief, mouth hanging open slightly. Zoro was about to ask what happened when he felt movement deep underneath his skin, brushing against his leg bone. It was incredibly unsettling, all the hairs on the back of Zoro's neck standing up.
"I was right, it did fucking move," Sanji said, looking vaguely sick, not knowing Zoro's own gut was roiling uncomfortably.
"Cut it off," demanded Zoro, not wanting to experience the unnatural sensation again.
"Hold on, let's think about this." The end of Sanji's cigarette flared multiple times as he paced, his arms crossed. That Sanji could do that when Zoro couldn't even walk majorly pissed him off.
Zoro's gorge rose as something shifted inside his wound, a gasp escaping Zoro as it pressed outward experimentally from the inside of his body. Sanji's cigarette fell to the floor, the cook grabbing a scalpel off the tray near him. "Screw this," he said, his hand hot on Zoro's leg as Sanji held it tightly. "This is going to hurt, Zoro." He had just enough time to squeeze his eyes shut before the scalpel touched his skin, the immediate sting of the cut minimal before it burned sharply, making Zoro bite his lower lip.
Sanji was fast as he worked, not hesitating in the slightest as he excised the growth. That it took five minutes was not lost on Zoro, the hardened sphere must've been bigger than he thought. Despite grinning and bearing it, he'd had worst cuts in his career as a swordsman, the fact that something alien had nested inside him was disturbing as hell.
His breath was uneven, Zoro having to take a minute to regain his composure before he could speak. "Where is it?"
Sanji's face was pale as he raised the black lump into Zoro's view, his arms streaked in red and black. It was about the size of Sanji's cupped hands, curled into a ball, no discernable features to be seen.
"I have no idea what this is," Sanji admitted, holding it in distaste, his nose wrinkled. When it twitched in Sanji's hand and thin razor-like spines began to rise from its back, Zoro knew exactly what lay in his hands.
He'd thought being bitten inside the space between dreams was bad enough, the slow progression of the infected wound growing steadily worse was punishing to the extreme, and then not even being able to move at all was worst still. The possibility the void creatures had used his body as an incubator the whole time had never entered his mind. Sanji was holding one of their young and he didn't even know it.
"It's warm…and breathing," Sanji said absentmindedly, moving a few of his fingers, nudging it.
"You'd better put it down," muttered Zoro, unbelievably tired and repulsed. He wasn't sure touching the thing was a good idea.
"Why?"
Zoro laughed bitterly, hooking Sanji's gaze with his own. "Its teeth are no joke, Cook. They're what got me into this mess in the first place." The pieces clicked in Sanji's mind and he almost snarled as he threw the thing to the floor. Zoro lifted his head as high as he could from his position, staring at the creature banefully, wishing he had the strength to crush it.
Sanji must've read his mind because he raised his leg. The void creature screeched to life in an instant, its threadlike body shifting upwards, limbs flowing downward to reach the floor. In the split second it took Sanji to lower his leg, the aberration took off, running to one of the hospital room corners, claws digging into the wall in a frenzy. For a moment, it looked like a fruitless task, then the white wall yielded as the thing ripped its way through, dust and shredded wood following in its wake.
Sanji went to squat on the floor, looking through the hole it had burrowed. "No good, it's long gone." He cleaned his hands and arms in a water basin on the nightstand next to Zoro's bed, looking in concern at Zoro's mangled leg. "Are you going to be okay?"
With the straps finally undone, Zoro considered the state of the injury closely. It had gone cold and numb as soon as Sanji had removed the aberration, the pain gone as if it had never been. The black veins weren't as thick anymore, Zoro's lip curling in disgust when he realized they were likely a form of nourishment for the void creature. "I think so," Zoro replied, smiling up at Sanji. "Excellent work, Doctor."
Sanji nodded, sitting back down, using some gauze to clean up Zoro's leg. "Thanks, but I'm more worried about what it's going to do now that it's loose," he said, Zoro holding down a bandage over the injury, Sanji taping it all up.
"I'd think it's home now, but whatever the case, we can handle it."
"I hope so."
To Be Continued...